There is NO privacy, NONE, ZILCH, ZERO, NADA, ZIP on the Internet!

Folks, it's built into the way the Internet works. The data is passed from one server to another, across the country and around the world. Each server keeps the data from a specified length of time, the length of time being determined for each server. This is to insure that the data is received without errors. Each server is also backed up at regular intervals, sometimes more often than daily. The backups are not reused until a later date -- and even then earlier data can sometimes be read through a later backup written over the earlier data.

In short, if someone wants to read what you send, all they have to do is have access to an Internet node "downstream" from you. Or to the backups of such a server. Want real paranoia? There are only about 13 or so "main" Internet servers worldwide!

Believe this, and if you don't check out how the Internet is designed (I admit it, I've simplified things quite a bit here).

No privacy, and it doesn't matter if "They" get to Max and Co. or not.

Moreover, "They" don't need your IP address to find you (it might not be the same from time to time anyway) -- the machine address broadcast by your computer is specific to that machine.

Mike Doellman
175 Cave Run Drive, #12
Erlanger, KY 41018
(who has designed and installed Internet accessible networks)